hail britannia

Catching up with Houston's new British Consul-General and top UK designer

British aesthetics and sensibilities have recently been front-and-center in everything from sartorial choices to residential design. From Cottagecore to Cluttercore, Houston has embraced it all.

Recently, far more than British aesthetics have sailed up the bayou. Between a newly-appointed Consul General, details about the residence’s secret art gallery and annual Winston Churchill birthday bash, to a book tour by veteran interior designer and Churchill descendant Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, there has been a lot.

A home in River Oaks, which is sometimes known to project the Union Jack upon its classic white façade, has been home to the British Consul General since the building’s purchase in 1963. The nearly 4,500-square-foot manse dates back to 1948 (when it was valued at $11,380!), but with the diligent stewardship of the Brits, one can hardly notice its age.

Beginning in September of this year, the residence has been inhabited by Keith Scott, the current Consul General (which has overall responsibility for leading the UK’s engagement in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico) and acts as a meeting and event space as well as housing a rotating first floor art exhibition curated by Yvonamor Palix of Gallery Artique in the Heights.

“I’m so very excited to be in Houston,” says Scott of his new assignment. “When I was growing up in Aberdeen, a lot of my friends ended up in the oil industry and came to Houston. And there has always been a big, big exchange of people in Houston and Aberdeen, so it was always in the back of my mind as a place to come and visit.”

Scott admits that being in the residence makes the old adage true — everything is bigger in Texas. “This house is huge, the driving is huge, the businesses are huge. I was proud, when I had to go to the UK embassy in Washington, to wear my Texas pin badge, and see the number of staff who jumped up from their chairs and were shouting: ‘Republic of Texas!’ It was really good to get that sense of where Texas sits in the U.S., and all these stats about Texas — we’re the eighth biggest GDP in the world. They keep me busy, and I’m looking forward to more of this.”

One thing Scott wasn’t quite expecting of his new home is that almost the entire first floor is an art gallery. For nearly 15 years, international art curator and gallerist Yvonamor Palix has been at the helm of curating works for both the British, French, and Mexican residences — open for exploration and enjoyment by all invited guests.

“I am the daughter of a career diplomat who loves art,” says Palix. “It was my parents’ influence that took me to discover this amazing field of work on an international level — Paris, Mexico City and then Houston. I have been curating in diplomatic venues for much of my career. Perhaps it is because art is a conversation starter, or it brings people together and creates unique experiences.”

Current artists on view — by vetted appointments by Palix and residence staff — include Ruth Gervich, Jane Liang, Duncan Wylie, Alex Gutierrez, Pep Guerrero, Alicia Paz, Karine Parker, Lesley Bodzy, Cha DAE-Duck, and Claire Basler.

British designer sounds off

Most recently, the residence hosted an invite-only soirée to commemorate the birthday of Winston Churchill, while simultaneously operating as an intimate de facto tour stop for a new book written by his relative, Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, about his birthplace (if interested in the somewhat complicated family tree — buy the book).

Blenheim: 300 Years of Life in a Palace, published by Rizzoli, is Spencer-Churchill’s 12th book. While her previous books have all been written strictly on interior design, this book is a heritage project more for her family than anything else. CultureMap sat down with Spencer-Churchill for a chat about her new book, her design career, tips on how to curate a British aesthetic, and why she thinks social media is giving interior design a bad name.

“I did this [book] as a legacy for my family home,” Spencer-Churchill begins. “I didn’t do anything to be business-related; it’s just a legacy for our family home — people, architecture, interiors, the park and garden, lifestyle, logistics, and the future.”

As a 45-year interior design veteran, with a shop in Woodstock, where Blenheim Palace is located, and her wildly-successful Spencer-Churchill Design firm, the great-granddaughter of Consuelo Vanderbilt is slowing down just enough to spill the proverbial tea.

With a specialty in restoring listed (i.e., historically-protected) buildings and old houses, especially Georgian-era architecture, Spencer-Churchill appreciates the opportunity to stretch her imagination with a new-build project from time to time.

“In a funny way, it gives you a chance to be more creative, because you’re putting in the features,” she explains. “The more challenging ones are the ones you start from scratch, especially because listed buildings have so many restrictions. I love the creativity of putting in the architectural features — picking the fireplace, picking the trim, picking the plaster work, all of that sort of thing. I think that’s what adds all of the character to a room.”

As for tips for getting that effortless, just-so look? “I always want to start with the bones, and make sure that’s right,” says Spencer-Churchill. “Then, from that, you build it up with the layers — the furniture, the pictures, the furnishings, etc. I use a lot of antiques in my business, because, largely, they give a lot of character; secondly, they are so much better made; and thirdly, they are much cheaper than what’s available new.”

Auctions are where Spencer-Churchill suggests shoppers look for the best deals on quality antiques: “In England, a lot of the old antique shops have disappeared. They just don’t have enough business, and rates and rents, and everything are so high — so I think that’s why now a lot of people are buying at auction.”

When asked about social media trends involving interior design, Spencer-Churchill admits that it’s a bit of a double-edged sword: “I use the internet as much as anyone else does now — you have to.” She will use Pinterest for research purposes (relatable!), but thinks that “designers” who chase trends for likes on social platforms are contributing to problematic practices.

“There are a lot of designers who are really just decorators. I think this is why I get quite negative about Instagram and things like that, because it’s easy for someone to photograph something, put it on Instagram, and say ‘Look at this, look at that!’ It slightly drives me mad. And I think, in a sense, it gives the industry a bit of a bad name—that’s why I’ve gotten a little bit annoyed.”

At the end of the day, good design is something that doesn’t shout someone else’s tastes, it’s about taking what the homeowner loves, and making it theirs, something that Spencer-Churchill prides herself on.

“I’m one of those designers where I don’t put my stamp on a project. I very much try to reflect the client, and I’m passionate about the architecture and details. I don’t have an ego, or my ego is that I’ve done a really good job and the client is happy — it’s on budget, it’s on time. I don’t have to live with the decor. There is definitely a lot of stuff I’ve done that I wouldn’t want to live with myself, but that’s fine — you know?”

Courtesy of the British Consulate-General

The British Consul General’s River Oaks residence can be difficult to miss along Kirby Drive.

home-design river oaks

they're durable, too

3D-printed Houston housing project cements a more affordable future

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.

Houston is putting itself front-and-center to help make sustainable, affordable housing a reality for 80 lucky homeowners in a scalable housing community that will hopefully catch on nationwide. Recently, developer Cole Klein Builders partnered with HiveASMBLD to pioneer what’s touted as the world’s first large-scale, one-of-a-kind, affordable housing development using 3-D printing technology, merging robotics, design, and sustainability.

Located across from Sterling Aviation High School, near Hobby Airport, Zuri Gardens will offer 80 two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes of approximately 1,360 square feet situated in a park-like setting, including walking trails and a community green space.

Homes in Zuri Gardens will hit the market in early summer of 2026. Final pricing has yet to be determined, but Cole Klein Builders expects it to be in the mid-to-high 200s.

Interestingly, none of the homes will offer garages or driveways, which the developer tells CultureMap will provide a savings of roughly $25,000 - $40,000 per home.

Instead of parking for individual units, 140 parking spaces will be provided. Ideally, this small-town-inspired design will provide opportunities for neighbors to meet, connect, and build community.

Each two-story home is comprised of a ground floor printed by HiveASMBLD, using a proprietary low-carbon cement alternative by Eco Material Technologies that promises to enhance strength and reduce CO2 emissions. The hybrid homes will have a second floor built using engineered wood building products by LP Building Solutions. Overall, the homes are designed to be flood, fire, and possibly even tornado-proof.

The Zuri in Zuri Gardens is the Swahili word for “beautiful,” a choice that is fitting considering that the parks department will be introducing a five acre park to the project — with 3-D printed pavilions and benches — plus, a three acre farm is located right across the street. The Garver Heights area, where Zuri Gardens is located, is in what’s classified as a food desert, which means that access to fresh food is limited. Residents will have access to the farm’s fresh produce, plus opportunities to participate in gardening and nutrition workshops—that’s a win for everyone.

With the novelty of Zuri Gardens, it’s no surprise that the neighborhood already has an 800 person waitlist, but with stringent buyer requirements, it’s unclear how many of those 800 will qualify. Developer Cole Klein Builders created Zuri Gardens in partnership with the Houston Housing Community Development Department, who provided infrastructure reimbursements for the roads, sewer lines, and water lines. In return, CKB agreed to push the purchase prices for the homes as low as possible.

Zuri Gardens also received $1.8 million dollars from the Uptown Tourism Bond, 34 percent of which must be used with minority owned small businesses. Qualified buyers must fit a certain area of median income according to HUD guidelines, and must be owner occupied at all times — so no property investors or short term vacation rentals will be allowed.

“They’re trying to bridge that gap to make sure there is a community for the homebuyers who need it — educators, law enforcement, civil workers, etc.,” Cole Klein Builders’ co-principal Vanessa Cole tells CultureMap. “You have to go through a certification process with the housing department to make sure that your income is in alignment for this community. It has been great, and everyone has been really receptive.”

Cole has also brought insurance underwriters to visit the site and to help drive premiums below regular rates for Houston homeowners since homes in Zuri Gardens are not built to traditional standards — claim risks for one of the 3-D homes are extremely low. Tim Lankau, principal at HiveASMBLD, notes that the 3-D hybrid design allows for a more traditional appearance, while having the benefits of a concrete structure: “That’s where the floodwaters would go, that’s where you can hide when there’s a tornado, and that’s where termites would eat. So you get the advantages of it while having a traditionally-framed second floor.”

It’s important to note that Zuri Gardens is not located in a flood prone area, nor did it flood during Hurricane Harvey — being flood proof is merely a perk of a cement house. The concrete that Eco Material Technologies developed is impervious. The walls are printed into hollow forms, which house rebar, plumbing, and accessible conduits for things like electrical lines and smart house features. Those walls are then filled with a foamcrete product that expands to form a “monolithic concrete wall.”

David McNitt, of Eco Material Technologies, explains that his proprietary concrete is made of PCV, and contains zero Portland cement. Instead, McNitt’s cement is made from coal ash and is 99 percent green (there are a few chemicals added to the ash). Regardless, it’s made from 100 percent waste products.

“This is a product that has really been landfilled before,” says McNitt. “It’s coal ash, and it’ll set within 8-10 minutes. It’s all monolithic, and one continuous pour — it’s literally all one piece.”

Eco Material Technologies’ concrete product is impressively durable. A traditional cinderblock wall will crush at around 800 psi, while this material crushes at about 8,000 psi.

“It’s ten times stronger than a cinderblock wall that can withstand hurricanes,” claims McNitt. “I don’t think you’d even notice a hurricane. It’ll be really quiet inside, too — so you won’t get interrupted during your hurricane party. It’s way over-engineered, it really is.”

The second story is built using weatherproof and eco-friendly products by LP Building Solutions. Their treated, engineered wood products come with a 50 year warranty, and their radiant barrier roof decking product blocks 97% of UV rays, and keeps attic temperatures 30° cooler than traditional building materials. These materials, combined with the concrete first floor, will keep heating and cooling costs low — something the folks at HiveASMBLD refer to as “thermal mass performance.”

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.